Three structures on campus went up in flames over Spring Break, including the old frat house, which was torched March 16. The houses were burned as part of a training program for the UAF Fire Department, and because they did not meet health requirements due to mold problems.

Last year, some smoke from similar training fires made its way into underground utility corridors and into neighboring homes because plywood and plastic seals on the burning buildings melted and leaked. This year the fire department used cement seals to ensure that smoke would not leak.

Battalion Chief Phil Rounds explained that the experience showed firefighters what they needed to work on and made them more competent in fighting a real structure fire.

"If you are going to be a brain surgeon, you want someone who is certified, not someone who is doing it for the first time," Rounds said.

Planning for the fires took more than six months, but fire department staff outlined their strategy for the fires in a town hall meeting March 16. They emphasized health hazards as the biggest concern, and said their first priority was safety for firefighters and citizens. Before the buildings could be burned, hazardous materials such as lead paint and asbestos had to be removed from the structures.

Marc Wohlford of Facility Services said that burning down the buildings was a win-win situation for the university because the cost of destroying the buildings and hauling them away is more expensive than stripping and burning them down. The newly empty space will be rebuilt in accordance to the master plan's housing proposal.

"It's not like we're burning it down to leave a big hole," Wohlford said.